Soumyadeep Roy is upset with Ayhika Mukherjee’s exclusion from the national women’s team, announced for the Paris Olympics. 

Ranked number two in singles in the domestic rankings, Ayhika has been delivering brilliant performance at the international level over the last few months, since the Hangzhou Asian Games where she acquired a historic bronze medal partnering with Sutirtha Mukherjee. 

Then in February, in the team World championships Ayhika was the nucleus of the Indian women's team's outstanding show that ensured the team's berth in the forthcoming Paris Olympics, defeating the higher-ranked paddlers including the stunning victory over Sun Yingsha.

Soumyadeep, the former national champion, former national coach, and presently the coach of Ayhika Mukherjee for the last one-and-half years, reacting to the issue explained, “This is injustice. I am shocked. How has the girl been kept in reserve whose outstanding show helped Indian women to ensure the desired berth in the Olympics? The selection criteria must have the priority of the player’s current performance.”

Ayhika when contacted however refused to make any comment on the issue.

Her present coach added, "TTFI should follow the BCCI where the cricketers' current performance in the IPL is counted by the selectors. Players' ranking basically covers the last year. Due to the rejection of visas, Ayhika could not take part in four international competitions. If she had taken part in the tournaments then the World ranking would have improved more.” 

He added, "You performed six or eight months ago and I have been performing now. So who deserves the place in the team? More importantly, the event is the Olympics. How can you deny Ayhika’s current performance, since the Hangzhou Asian Games till the team's World Championship? TTFI should change its policy while selecting the national team before any crucial event.” 

Archana Kamath whose World ranking is 103 has replaced Ayhika whose current World ranking is 133.